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Published on: January 5, 2017
[Role of vitamin D in pediatric irritable bowel syndrome]
1Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine/National Clinical Research Center for Child Health/National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou 310052, China.
Insights
Children with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) often have lower vitamin D levels. Supplementation may improve IBS symptoms and quality of life in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder in children.
- Key symptoms include recurrent abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and changes in stool form.
- Children with IBS frequently exhibit lower serum vitamin D levels compared to healthy controls.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between vitamin D levels and IBS in pediatric populations.
- To explore the potential therapeutic role of vitamin D supplementation in childhood IBS.
- To elucidate the possible mechanisms by which vitamin D influences IBS.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating vitamin D and pediatric IBS.
- Analysis of existing research on vitamin D supplementation efficacy in children with IBS.
- Synthesis of evidence regarding the biological pathways linking vitamin D to gastrointestinal function.
Main Results:
- Multiple studies indicate a significant correlation between lower vitamin D levels and IBS in children.
- Vitamin D supplementation has demonstrated notable improvements in clinical symptoms of IBS.
- Enhanced quality of life has been reported in pediatric IBS patients receiving vitamin D supplementation.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D deficiency is common in children with IBS.
- Vitamin D supplementation shows promise as an adjunctive therapy for pediatric IBS.
- Further research into the mechanisms of vitamin D action in IBS is warranted.
Abstract:
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disease in children and has the clinical manifestations of recurrent abdominal pain with the changes in defecation frequency or stool form. Many studies have shown that children with IBS have a significantly lower vitamin D level than the healthy population, and vitamin D supplementation can significantly improve the clinical symptoms and quality of life of the children, suggesting that vitamin D supplementation may play a role in the treatment of IBS. This article reviews the association between vitamin D and IBS in children and elaborates on the possible mechanism of action of vitamin D.
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